Live Auction 5956European Noble & Private Collections Including Fine Tapestries Part II
A PAIR OF AUSTRIAN (VIENNESE) WHEEL-LOCK SPORTING RIFLES
Lot 359

A PAIR OF AUSTRIAN (VIENNESE) WHEEL-LOCK SPORTING RIFLES

BY GEORG KEISER, CIRCA 1690-1700

Closed1 October 2014

Price Realised

GBP 15,000

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A PAIR OF AUSTRIAN (VIENNESE) WHEEL-LOCK SPORTING RIFLES
BY GEORG KEISER, CIRCA 1690-1700
With octagonal sighted barrels each retaining some of their original blued finish throughout, the top of each breech with stamped signature 'Georg Keiser' flanking his brass-lined mark (Der Neue Støckel 567), gold-lined touch-holes, plain tangs respectively numbered '1' and '2', flat locks each each with sliding pan-cover and engraved with flowering foliage to the plate and bridle, the former in imitation of a wheel-cover, cock pierced and engraved with marine monsters, and the pan-fence engraved with a recumbent figure, maple full stocks inlaid with engraved white staghorn plaques, engraved white staghorn ramrod-pipes and fore-end caps, rootwood patchbox covers inlaid with white staghorn plaques engraved with different figures in landscapes, including Ceres and the infant Bacchus, horn butt-plates each with iron button, engraved indented iron trigger-guards, set triggers, and wooden ramrods, probably original, each with engraved white staghorn tip
32 ½ in. (82.5 cm.) barrels

W. Keith Neal Collection, Christie's, King Street, 25 October 2001, lot 147

Specialist note

A handwritten note which accompanies this lot reads: 'This rifle is dead accurate at 50 yards using one dram of powder (no. 4. grain) & a ball wrapped in two of the linen patches. W. Keith Neal 17/3/1956'

Georg Keiser was probably one of the most distinguished of the Vienna court gunmakers. Born in 1647 he was still working 93 years later as a gunmaker. In later life he took to recording his age on the firearms he made - a pistol sold at Christie's King Street on 20 September 1989, lot 174, is signed 'Georg Keiser In Wienn Alt 90 Jahr'